The Houston Rockets should pause James Harden’s business discussions

On Saturday night, in their first game of the season, the Houston Rockets lost 128-126 in overtime to the Portland Trail Blazers. Houston was severely understaffed with only nine eligible players. John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Gordon and Ben McLemore, all expected to be key members of the Rockets’ rotation, were out due to health and safety protocols.

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Still, the Rockets held fast to Portland, expected to be one of the best teams in the Western Conference this season, even with double-digit lead for much of the first half. In the end, the Rockets ran out of gas, particularly struggling when Harden went to the bank.

Harden, the subject of much speculation in recent weeks due to a permanent trade request, was spectacular, starting at point guard, scoring 44 points and dishing 17 assists. Newcomer Christian Wood, who signed a three-year, $ 41 million deal in the offseason, scored 31 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a dominant debut performance. Rookie forward Jae’Sean Tate added 13 points on 5/9 shooting from the bench.

The Rockets have reportedly been in discussions in recent days over Harden’s trades, but with the guard still under contract for two more full seasons, there should be little urgency to rush to a deal Houston doesn’t love. The question was how would Harden respond if the team did not fulfill his wish to be treated.

The All-Star point guard appeared to resolve that issue with his game Saturday. “I’m starting my twelfth year in this league and I’m excited about it,” Harden said before the game. Aside from his statistical production, the guard was involved throughout the night, cheering on his teammates and often cheering for mistakes. If you are unhappy with the situation, it was not visible.

With the season underway, Houston should pause trade talks for now. Even with the absence of several key members of the rotation, Saturday night offered a glimpse of the potential of this roster, a continuation of the promise shown during the preseason. Wood instantly seemed the most versatile and dynamic frontcourt partner Harden has had during his tenure with the team. Tate, David Nwaba and Sterling Brown all offered aggressive perimeter defense and seem poised to provide the kind of wing depth that was a hallmark of the Houston team with 65 wins in 2017-2018.

And none of that includes Wall, Cousins, Gordon and McLemore, all of whom should be playing big roles on the team this season. Wall, in particular, missed a lot on Saturday when Harden went to the bank.

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As of this writing, the entire West Second Division has struggled early on, with Dallas at 1-2, Denver at 0-2 and the Clippers having been decimated earlier that day, 124-73. It’s no exaggeration to think this Houston roster is good enough to claim one of the best seeds in the conference with Harden.

So it would be foolish for GM Rafael Stone to rush to close a deal without seeing things. If Harden goes offline and the team fails, it’s a different matter. But for now, Rockets management should give the roster it built a shot. A deal with Harden will continue to be there next offseason, if necessary.